# What's the joke? (Confusing line in Gone Girl the novel) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771 "2016-01-21T11:55:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/1 "2016-01-21T11:55:31Z")
So I’m reading Gone Girl and maybe it’s just because it’s almost 4 am, but I’m just not getting what the point or punchline is in this quote: “I specialize in trim work, he’d say, and wait for you to get the joke. If you didn’t laugh, he’d explain it.” Context: the character claiming a speciality in trim work has been a house painter every summer since high school. He’s described as an odd-job stoner and a failed baseball player. Google has not been helpful. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/2 "2016-01-21T11:59:03Z")
> **[Urban Dictionary: Trim](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Trim)** > > Tuff or Fire ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/3 "2016-01-21T14:53:49Z")
“Trim” is slang for…um…ladies, I guess is the polite way of saying it. “Pussy” if you want to not be polite. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/4 "2016-01-21T15:22:33Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > “Trim” is slang for…um…ladies, I guess is the polite way of saying it. “Pussy” if you want to not be polite. See, that right there is the perfect username/post combination. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/5 "2016-01-21T17:08:58Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > See, that right there is the perfect username/post combination. Funny story, many years ago I tried to use this nickname on a website and was denied. When I contacted them to find out why, the Customer service rep checked and her system told her it was rejected due to being vulgar. And it was that day, together, via Google, that I and a random customer service rep learned what Quim means in England. FWIW the name has nothing to do with that 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/6 "2016-01-21T17:25:00Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Funny story, many years ago I tried to use this nickname on a website and was denied. When I contacted them to find out why, the Customer service rep checked and her system told her it was rejected due to being vulgar. And it was that day, together, via Google, that I and a random customer service rep learned what Quim means in England. > > FWIW the name has nothing to do with that 🙂 I always thought it was a Simpsons thing. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/7 "2016-01-21T18:44:14Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > FWIW the name has nothing to do with that 🙂 I figured. The juxtaposition just amused me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/8 "2016-01-21T19:50:02Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I always thought it was a Simpsons thing. No not that either. It was a nickname I had in High School based on a line from a very obscure movie. When I came on line in College in the 90s I used it for e-mail addresses and the like. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-confusing-line-in-gone-girl-the-novel/743771/9 "2016-01-21T20:08:53Z")
Ah, okay! I was clearly overthinking the whole thing. Thanks everyone!